Highlights
- Characters in action and shonen anime bring vibrancy and uniqueness to each series.
- Characters who revel in battle add excitement and thrill to the storyline.
- Each character’s reasons for loving fighting vary, from their personality traits to their goals and motivations.
Although many action and shonen anime may seem stale and repetitive to many viewers, the same cannot be said for the numerous characters and personality types in each non-stop action series. With each unique personality, there is no doubt that things will stay vibrant in whatever series in which they may appear.
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Among those personalities, however, one character type that is sure to appear in any action or shonen anime is the character who revels in battle. Regardless of how this love for battle manifests itself, it is clear that these characters can only get their thrills on the battlefield, and fans love them all the more for it.
5 Android 17 (Dragon Ball Z)
Reason for Loving Fighting: Confident Nature and Programming to Fight Goku
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Studio |
Toei Animation |
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Genre |
Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts |
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Number of Episodes |
291 episodes |
One of Dr. Gero’s many Androids in his repertoire, Android 17’s brash, cocky demeanor toward his opponents during Dragon Ball Z’s Android saga certainly earns him a spot on this list. While he was tasked with killing Goku at first, he treated the objective as a mere game and indulged himself in toying around with Piccolo during their fight.
In Dragon Ball Super, 17’s demeanor has changed for the better, as he is far more mature and has an island full of animals worth protecting. However, when Goku finds him in an attempt to recruit him into the Tournament of Power, which results in a fight between the two, 17 takes slight offense at Goku holding back, showing some traces of his previous behavior.
4 Natsu Dragneel (Fairy Tail)
Reason For Loving Fighting: Fairy Tail’s Influence and His Need to Show His Strength
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Studio |
A-1 Pictures |
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Genre |
Fantasy, Adventure |
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Number of Episodes |
328 episodes |
As one of the most prominent members of the Fairy Tail guild, there is no question that Natsu has a deep love for getting into fights, even friendly fights with his fellow guild mates. Regardless of how much trouble he gets into, Natsu sees any fight as an opportunity to prove his power, which is not too difficult a feat due to his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic.
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Even in times of conflict, Natsu still finds some excitement when fighting mighty enemies, as shown when he is immediately attacked by the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros upon breaking out of their jail. His signature catchphrase, “I’m all fired up!” can be seen as a surefire sign of his excitement in battle.
3 Shougen Kazamachi (Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls)
Reason For Loving Fighting: Competitive Nature and Bloodlust
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Studio |
Gonzo |
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Genre |
Historical, Fantasy, Martial Arts |
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Number of Episodes |
24 episodes |
Hailing from the rather peaceful Kouga Manjidani Clan, Shougen is rather unusual among his clan due to his spider-like appearance and abilities. In addition, he is also known for his bloodlust and complete disregard for the peace treaty between the Kouga and Iga clans, even stating that there was no way he could get along with someone from the Iga clan.
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As a testament to his love for combat, Shougen took his time toying with the Iga ninja Yashamaru with his sticky phlegm abilities and expressed joy at the prospect of fighting four Iga ninjas at once. Unfortunately, this love of combat resulted in his defeat, as he overestimated his abilities after having captured his four opponents in his web, with fatal results.
2 Nnoitra Gilga (Bleach)
Reason For Loving Fighting: His Goal to Prove Himself as the Strongest Espada
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Studio |
Pierrot |
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Genre |
Action, Supernatural |
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Number of Episodes |
392 episodes |
While his laid-back and lanky appearance may suggest otherwise, Nnoitra is a prideful and bloodthirsty member of the Espada who will stop at nothing to find a worthy opponent to destroy. What makes him all the more dangerous is his lack of hesitation to use dirty tactics on the battlefield, ranging from striking down a defenseless enemy to even using children as human shields.
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Underneath all of his pride and unfair battle tactics, however, Nnoitra has a scathing desire to prove himself as the strongest member of the Espada, a goal he has had since his time as the 8th Espada and due to his inability to defeat his rival Nelliel. His love of battle is so great that he wishes to die standing and drown in his blood at the time of his death, something which is ultimately fulfilled by Eleventh Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki.
1 Shigaraki Tomura (My Hero Academia)
Reason For Loving Fighting: His Hatred of Everything and Goal to Destroy Hero Society
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Studio |
Bones |
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Genre |
Action, Superhero, Sci-Fi |
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Number of Episodes |
138 episodes (ongoing) |
Though the circumstances behind Shigaraki Tomura’s great strength and Quirk’s manifestation are extremely tragic, this does nothing to take away from the fact that he relished killing at a young age. The most notable example of this was when he used his Decay Quirk to knowingly murder his father Kotaro, during which he experienced an immense amount of glee.
In the present, Tomura not only gladly commands the League of Villains to wreak havoc upon society, but he has also displayed a particularly cruel streak by mocking his opponents, regardless of whether he has defeated them or not. Although he is content with gratuitous destruction and death, Tomura’s prime target is All Might, whom he wishes to kill to rid society of their beloved Symbol of Peace.
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